The Reverend Dr. Kate Cress, Rector
Canon James Paul Buonemani, Artistic Director & Organist-Choirmaster
Dr. Tom Mueller, Associate Organist
Justin Baker, Communications & Concert Manager
Mike Irizarry, Brochure Design
Bill Vestal, Artistic Director, LACMA Sundays Live
3903 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, California 90010
Saint James Music Office: 213/388-3015
Email: GreatMusic@SaintJamesLA.org
We are located in the Wilshire Center district of Los Angeles, two blocks west of Western Avenue. Ramp accessible.
Metro Purple Line: Wilshire/Western station, then walk two blocks west.
Street parking available with additional free concert parking at 3926 Wilshire Blvd. across from the front of the church.
Welcome to Great Music at Saint James
INTERNATIONAL LAUREATES ORGAN SERIES
For the past twenty-three years we have been honored to host many of the most distinguished organists from throughout the world. This season we welcome American organists Malcolm Matthews, Joshua Stafford, Isabelle Demers and Alcee Chriss, as well as French organist Jean-Baptiste Robin and Spanish organist Raúl Prieto-Ramírez.
We invite you to experience great organ music played on the David John Falconer Memorial Organ (originally built in 1911 for St. Paul’s Pro-Cathedral, Los Angeles, by Murray M. Harris). Comprising over 5,000 pipes in total, the organ is an important part of Los Angeles musical history and takes its place among the country’s most important and magnificent instruments.
These recitals are offered as a gift to the community free of charge, and we are grateful to the Ahmanson Foundation and our Friends of Great Music for their continuing support.
SOLEMN EVENSONG
The semi-professional Choir of Saint James distinguished itself in 1996 as the first American Choir to have sung in performance with the Choir of Westminster Abbey, London. They have since completed four tours of the British Isles and are pleased to offer the Los Angeles community the uniquely Anglican service of Evensong in the style of the great English Cathedrals on the second Sunday of the month at 4:30 PM. Freewill offering.
ADVENT PROCESSION OF LESSONS AND CAROLS
Patterned after the ever-popular service of Nine Lessons and Carols originating from King’s College, Cambridge, England, the Choir of Saint James offers this service in anticipation of Christmas on 8 December 2019. Freewill offering.
Beginning in 1948 at Exposition Park and presented for the past 29 years at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, LACMA Sundays Live now takes up residence at St. James in-the-City! Chamber, orchestral, choral and solo artists from Southern California and around the globe will continue their free concert offerings at 6:00 pm. Together, our International Laureates Organ Series and LACMA Sundays Live will make every Sunday at St. James in-the-City an inspirational concert destination at 6:00 pm. LACMA Sundays Live is made possible by the Colburn Foundation in memory of Ed Elelman,and the Sidney Stern Memorial Trust. For live streaming, please visit sundayslive.org, and for weekly downloads, visit kusc.org and click on Radio/On Demand.
September 29 | 6PM
HARPIST MARCIA DICKSTEIN AND FRIENDS
Amy Hershberger and Luanne Homzy (violins), David Walther (viola), Angela Wiegand (flute) and Leslie Reed (English horn) join Sundays Live veteran Marcia Dickstein in the music of Debussy and Arnold Bax. Founder/Artistic Director of The Debussy Trio, Marcia has performed in the United States, Canada, Europe, Scandinavia, and Japan, and broadcast over NPR radio, PBS, and on numerous TV and movie soundtracks.
October 6 | 6PM
CAPITOL ENSEMBLE
Violinist Phillip Levy with Lucia Micarelli (violin), Ben Ullery (viola), and Eric Byers (cello) perform Schumann: String Quartet in A minor, Opus 41, No. 1, and Ravel: String Quartet in F major.
Hailed by the San Francisco Chronicle as the top classical performer of 1995, Phillip Levy has received critical acclaim at festivals throughout the world. Recipient of numerous prestigious awards and prizes, he has collaborated with renowned artists including Sir Yehudi Menuhin, Iona Brown, Sir Neville Marriner, Dawn Upshaw, John O’Conor, Ralf Gothoni, and Lynn Harrell.
October 13 | 4:30PM | 6PM
Solemn Evensong
CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES
4:30 PM
International Laureates Organ Series
JEAN-BAPTISTE ROBIN
6:00 PM
The CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES is made up of amateur and professional adult musicians from the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Under the direction of Organist and Choirmaster James Buonemani since 1995, the Choir of Saint James has been honored to serve three times as Westminster Abbey’s choir-in-residence. In 1997, the choir performed the music for the official Los Angeles Memorial to Princess Diana and in 2004, the choir was featured at the National Convention of the American Guild of Organists.
“Perfect clarity and virtuosity . . . synonymous with perfection.” – Le Figaro, Paris
With his 2010 appointment as Organist of the Royal Chapel at the Palace of Versailles, Jean-Baptiste Robin was placed in the order of succession with Couperin, Marchand, Daquin, and Balbastre as “court musician” of that world-renowned palace. He has performed recitals in more than 20 European countries, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Israel, Canada, and in nearly half of the 50 United States, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall in Los Angeles.
For this concert, he is joined by internationally acclaimed trumpeter Romain LeLeu, a Chavalier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.
October 20 | 6PM
CIARAMELLA EARLY MUSIC ENSEMBLE
Music of the Italian “Renaissances” from Spring songs of the trecento ars nova, music of the Florentine Renaissance, and avant garde of the early Italian Baroque “stile moderno".
October 27 | 6PM
SIMONE LEITÃO performs a piano concert featuring works by Handel, Scarlatti and music of Brazil.
Pianist Simone Leitão maintains a concert schedule with over 40 performances a year, performing in major halls throughout the world. She has just launched her second album, a program of Bach recorded in Oslo, Norway.
November 3 | 6PM
AMERICAN YOUTH SYMPHONY PRINCIPALS
This young and exuberant String Quartet will perform the music of Mozart and Dvorák.
November 10 | 4:30PM | 6PM
Solemn Evensong
CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES
4:30 PM
International Laureates Organ Series
RAÚL PRIETO-RAMÍREZ
6:00 PM
"The powerful personality, passionate expressiveness, gift for communication, and outstanding technique of Spanish organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez make him shine in a wide range of repertoire and styles". – Los Angeles Philharmonic
The performances of Raúl Prieto Ramírez, the newly-appointed San Diego Civic Organist and Artistic Director of the Spreckels Organ, have been described with words such as “sizzling”, iconoclastic”, and “transcendent”. Performing a wide-ranging classical and popular repertoire on the pipe, this Spanish master has an absolutely riveting way of entertaining audiences of young and old, music experts and casual listeners, like remarkably few others.
November 17 | 6PM
SPANISH BRASS
Spanish Brass is one of the most dynamic and admired brass groups on the international music scene today. In 2017 the group received the I Bankia Music Talent Award in Spain, reserved for the most influential musical artists.
Spanish Brass is one of the most dynamic and admired brass groups on the international music scene today. In 2017 the group received the I Bankia Music Talent Award in Spain, reserved for the most influential musical artists. They have released 22 recordings, including a retrospective double CD and two CD-DVD’s. Spanish Brass has founded two international brass festivals: the Spanish Brass Alzira Festival and Brassurround.
November 24 | 6PM
ANDREW BROWNELL will dedicate the newly acquired concert grand piano at this concert as well as at a service of blessing at 10:30 AM with the Choir of Saint James (to which all are invited).
“. . .one of the most significant pianists of his generation.” – Musical Opinion
Having won 2nd Prize at the 2006 Leeds Piano Competition Andrew has since pursued an active international performing and recording career. The Oregonian wrote that Brownell “impresses as much with his mind as with his hands… the anti-Lang Lang.” He has appeared in concert with principals of orchestras such as the Philharmonia, the Amsterdam Concertgebouw, and the Vienna Philharmonic. Formerly Associate Organist at St. James Church, Andrew will dedicate the newly acquired concert grand piano at this concert as well as at a service of blessing at 10:30 AM with the Choir of Saint James (to which all are invited).
December 1 | 6PM
CRISTINA MONTES MATEO AND FRIENDS
Along with Susan Greenberg (flute), Ambroise Aubrun (violin), Virginie d’Avezac (viola), and Juliette Herlin (cello), perform Haydn’s “London” Trio No. 1 and Saint-Saëns’ Fantasie for violin and harp, among other works.
Cristina Montes Mateo is recognized as one of the leading harpists of her generation and has performed with the Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Philharmonic Orchestra of Málaga, Francisco de Miranda Orchestra in Venezuela, Orchestra of the Theatre für Niedersachsen Hannover in Germany, and the Santiago de Chile Orchestra; and under conductors Bernard Haitink, Sir Colin Davis, Georges Prêtre, Pierre Boulez, and Daniel Barenboim. She has also performed at the Berlin Philharmonie, Royal Albert Hall of London, Tonhalle in Zurich, Théâtre du Châtelet of Paris and New York’s Carnegie Hall. For this concert, she welcomes Susan Greenberg (flute), Ambroise Aubrun (violin), Virginie d’Avezac (viola), and Juliette Herlin (cello), performing Haydn’s “London” Trio No. 1, Saint-Saëns’ Fantasie for violin and harp, and other works.
December 8 | 4:30PM
An Advent Procession of Lessons and Carols
THE CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES
The Choir of Saint James sings Advent carols and music from Gregorian Chant to the present day. Join us for this annual tradition in the style of King’s College, Cambridge.
*Note the 4:30 PM time of this event, replacing SundaysLIVE this week.
December 15 | 6PM
CAPITOL ENSEMBLE
Celebrating Beethoven’s 250th birthday, violinist Phillip Levy’s group performs the Trio in E-flat Major, Op. 70, No. 2.
December 22 | 6PM
NO CONCERT OFFERED TODAY
December 24-25 | CHRISTMAS
CHRISTMAS AT ST. JAMES
You are invited to join us for a festive Christmas celebration of the Holy Eucharist with the Choir of Saint James and harpist Marcia Dickstein and Friends at 10:30 PM, Dec. 24. On Christmas morning, Dec. 25, at 10:30 AM, the Gentlemen of the Schola Cantorum of Saint James will sing Gregorian Chant, Franz Biebl’s “Ave Maria,” and “This little Babe” by Benjamin Britten.
December 29 | 6PM
HOLLYWOOD PIANO TRIO
Beethoven’s 250th anniversary continues with his music performed by Roberto Cani, Robert deMaine and Inna Faliks.
The trio was formed in 2018 and is comprised of three of LA’s most outstanding musicians. Each of the three have distinguished careers as concerto soloists, recitalists, chamber musicians and have appeared with major orchestras and music festivals throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. They occupy key positions in LA’s musical landscape: Cani is Concertmaster with the LA Opera; DeMaine is Principal cellist with LA Philharmonic, and Faliks is Head of Piano and Professor of Piano at UCLA’s Herb Alpert School of Music. Each brings their unique, multifaceted international experience and their vibrant personalities to the medium.
January 5 | 6PM
THIES-MICARELLI-BYERS TRIO
Pianist Robert Thies is joined by violinist Lucia Micarelli and cellist Eric Byers.
“Unerring, warm-toned refinement, revealing judicious glimmers of power,” describes pianist Robert Thies by the Los Angeles Times. He captured worldwide attention in 1995 when he won the Gold Medal at the Second International Prokofiev Competition in St. Petersburg, Russia, becoming the only American to win first prize in a Russian piano competition since Van Cliburn in 1958. Robert is joined by violinist Lucia Micarelli, who debuted as soloist with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra at age 6 and was since educated at Juilliard and the Manhattan School of Music under the tutelage of celebrated violinist Pinchas Zukerman; and by cellist Eric Byers who made his solo debut with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at age 18, and in 2018 he debuted with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. His performance of the third movement of B.A. Zimmerman's Cello Concerto was lauded as “rapturously played” and “utterly convincing” by the Los Angeles Times.
January 12 | 4:30PM | 6PM
Solemn Evensong
CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES
4:30 PM
International Laureates Organ Series
JOSHUA STAFFORD
6:00 PM
First-prize winner of the 2016 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition.
A graduate of the Curtis Institute and the Yale School of Music, Joshua Stafford is in demand as a recitalist, improviser, choral accompanist, and silent film accompanist, and has performed at many notable venues, including the Wanamaker Organ in Philadelphia, Philadelphia’s Kimmel Center, Ocean Grove Auditorium in New Jersey, the Chautauqua Institution in New York, and Spivey Hall in Georgia.
January 19 | 6PM
BENJAMIN PASTERNAK & NEAL STULBERG
Piano duets in a program to be announced.
American pianist Benjamin Pasternak has performed throughout the world as soloist and with such renowned conductors as Seiji Ozawa, Erich Leinsdorf, and David Zinman. He is a sought-after pedagogue of piano, first at Boston University and then at the Peabody Conservatory. He joins pianist/conductor Neal Stulberg in this concert of piano duets. Having conducted many of the world’s leading orchestras, including the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and the Atlanta, Houston, Saint Louis, and San Francisco Symphonies, Neal Stulberg is Professor and Director of Orchestral Studies at the UCLA Herb Alpert School of Music.
January 26 | 6PM
CROSSROADS CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Alexander Treger leads the orchestra in a program of works to be announced.
February 2 | 6PM
NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY
BEETHOVEN 2020
We welcome Boston’s visiting artists from their famed piano department in Part 1 of Beethoven 2020, presenting a survey of the master’s piano sonatas. (Parts 2 and 3 on April 5 and May 31).
February 9 | 4:30PM | 6PM
Solemn Evensong
CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES
4:30 PM
International Laureates Organ Series
ISABELLE DEMERS
6:00 PM
“There is no shortage of organists who make their instruments roar; and while her power was never in question, Demers made the instrument sing.” – The Classical Source
A graduate of the Juilliard School, Dr. Demers is Organ Professor and Head of the Organ Program at Baylor University in Texas. She has appeared in recital at the cathedrals of Cologne and Regensburg (Germany), St. Paul’s Cathedral, Westminster Cathedral, Westminster Abbey and the Royal Festival Hall (London), the Royal Opera House of Muscat (Oman), Melbourne Town Hall (Australia), Auckland Town Hall (New Zealand), the Forbidden City Concert Hall (Beijing, China) as well as major universities and concert halls throughout the United States.
February 16 | 6PM
COLBURN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Maxim Eshkenazy leads the orchestra in Britten’s Simple Symphony, Grieg’s Holberg Suite and Mozart’s Divertimento in B-flat, K. 137.
Described by the Los Angeles Times as “charismatic and exciting,” Maestro Eshkenazy is a rising star among the young generation of conductors and devotes much of his international engagements to the pedagogy of young musicians.
February 23 | 6PM
COLBURN SINFONIETTA
Maxim Eshkenazy leads the orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7.
March 1 | 6PM
CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES
Returning from a triumphant tour of Ireland this past summer, director James Buonemani leads the choir in the contemporary music of the British Isles, the Balkans and in the incomparable music of Los Angeles’ celebrated composer, Morten Lauridsen.
Of the choir’s recently released album on the Gothic label, entitled O Beauty Ever Ancient Ever New, John Palmer writes in the Journal of the Association of Anglican Musicians, “This recording has been a musical highlight of my year. . .the musical forces could not be better. . .this CD is nothing short of genius in its conception and execution.” Jack Sullivan writes in the American Record Guide, “This is a wonderful choral collection, full of variety and adventure, mostly radiant and serene but with moments of melancholy and subtle disturbance.”
March 8 | 4:30PM | 6PM
Solemn Evensong
CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES
4:30 PM
International Laureates Organ Series
MALCOLM MATTHEWS
6:00 PM
Winner of the Westfield International Organ Competition, Malcolm is a Doctoral candidate at the Eastman School of Music studying under David Higgs. He is in demand not only as an organ soloist but also as a collaborative artist appearing most recently with the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra performing Frank Martin’s Petite Symphonie Concertante. Malcolm also teaches harpsichord at the Eastman Community Music School and is an instructor for the Eastman Summer Organ Academy.
March 15 | 6PM
PAVEL ŠPORCL
Pavel will perform a concert of violin music to be announced.
The most distinctive member of the young generation of Czech violinists Pavel Šporcl has been triumphantly received by audiences in major music venues throughout the world thanks to the combination of a rich classical background and unique unorthodox stage presence. Making regular appearances on television, radio and virtually all other media outlets, Pavel's music is right at home on the top of the charts. A graduate of the prestigious Prague Conservatory and Academy of Music, Pavel furthered his studies in the US under the tutelage of Itzhak Perlman and Dorothy DeLay, among others.
March 22 | 6PM
CAPITOL ENSEMBLE AND FRIENDS
A Bach birthday celebration!
March 29 | 6PM
PETRONEL MALAN
“Formidable…dizzying…magical.” These words from New York reviewer Harris Goldsmith vividly illustrate pianist Petronel Malan’s uniquely captivating style, both in live performance and through her Hännsler Classic series of transcriptions: Transfigured Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, and Brahms.
April 5 | 6PM
NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY
BEETHOVEN 2020
Continuing a 3-part sampling from the New England Conservatory’s “Beethoven 2020” project, presenting all of the piano sonatas. (Part 3 on May 31).
April 12 | 6PM
INNA FALIKS
A performance of piano repertoire to be announced. *Note: there is no Evensong offered on this day. Instead, please consider joining us for Easter morning services at 8 and 10:30 AM featuring the Choir of Saint James with brass and percussion.
“Adventurous and passionate” (The New Yorker) Ukrainian-born American pianist Inna Faliks has established herself as one of the most exciting, committed, communicative and poetic artists of her generation. She has made a name for herself through her commanding performances of standard piano repertoire, as well genre-bending interdisciplinary projects and inquisitive work with contemporary composers. She has performed on many of the world’s great stages in solo appearances and with orchestras under such conductors as Leonard Slatkin and Keith Lockhart.
April 19 | 6PM
COLBURN SINFONIETTA
Maestro Maxim Eshkenazy leads the orchestra in a program to be announced.
April 26 | 6PM
COLBURN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA
Maestro Maxim Eshkenazy leads the orchestra in a program to be announced.
May 3 | 6PM
RYAN DE RYKE & DANIEL SCHLOSBERG
Beethoven’s 250th anniversary continues with baritone De Ryke and pianist Schlosberg performing Beethoven's “An die ferne Geliebte” and songs by Haydn.
May 10 | 6PM
Solemn Evensong
CHOIR OF SAINT JAMES
4:30 PM
International Laureates Organ Series
ALCEE CHRISS III
6:00 PM
"Chriss stole the show" – Choir and Organ Magazine
Winner of the 2017 Canadian International Organ Competition and Firmin Swinnen Silver Medalist at the 2016 Longwood Gardens International Organ Competition, Alcee Chriss III has also won First Prize in the Miami International Organ Competition (2014), the Fort Wayne National Organ Competition (2016), the Albert Schweitzer National Organ Competition in Wethersfield, CT (2013), and the Quimby Regional Competition for Young Organists in Austin, TX (2013). This season includes performances at the Meyerson Symphony Center (Dallas, TX), the John F. Kennedy Center and the Washington National Cathedral (Washington, DC).
May 17 | 6PM
DAVID KAPLAN & TIMO ANDRES
The piano duo performs Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring.
May 24 | 6PM
COLBURN SCHOOL ARTISTS
Emerging Artists from the Colburn School’s Mari and Ed Edelman Chamber Music Institute perform a program of works to be announced.
May 31 | 6PM
NEW ENGLAND CONSERVATORY
BEETHOVEN 2020
The final concert of a 3-part sampling from the New England Conservatory’s “Beethoven 2020” project, presenting all of the piano sonatas.
June 7 | 6PM
TO BE ANNOUNCED
June 14 | 6PM
CAPITOL ENSEMBLE
June 21 | 6PM
MICHELE ZUKOVSKY, JUDITH FARMER AND FRIENDS
Harmoniemusik by Mozart and Beethoven
June 28 | 6PM
TO BE ANNOUNCED